Air Berlin will begin serving Pristina from Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hanover and Munich up to twice-weekly, daily from Zurich and weekly from Geneva on Nov. 4.
Niki wants 50% of the traffic rights between Vienna and Eastern Europe if Lufthansa's acquisition of Austrian Airlines Group is confirmed, President Niki Lauda told ATWOnline. "So far AAG has all the traffic rights to Eastern Europe, except our daily Vienna-Moscow DME service," Lauda said. "We have no idea how and if the merger will be completed. My company has to answer an additional 40 question from the European Commission regarding the process" by July 27.
Ryanair said it "will continue to explore the concept of 'fare-free standing' flights with Boeing and the relevant aviation authorities in the US and EU" after 66% of 120,000 passengers participating in an online poll said they would be willing to stand in the cabin on flights 1 hr. or shorter if the fare was free. The LCC said 42% would stand for half price and 60% felt standing should be an option ( ATWOnline, July 7).
Delta Air Lines posted a second-quarter net loss of $257 million, narrowed from a $1.04 billion deficit in the year-ago period, with results for both quarters heavily affected by special charges. For the current period, $58 million in expenses related to DL's acquisition of Northwest Airlines and fuel hedge losses of $390 million pushed it into red. Absent these charges, it would have reported a net profit of $191 million. In the year-ago period, it would have earned $137 million excluding $1.3 billion in special charges largely related to goodwill impairment.
Ryanair will reduce winter schedule capacity at London Stansted by 40%, operating just 24 aircraft from the airport compared to the present 40. CEO Michael O'Leary said the decision "shows just how much [UK Prime Minister] Gordon Brown's £10 ($16.46) tourist tax and the BAA Monopoly's high airport charges are damaging London and UK tourism and the British economy generally," while reiterating that STN is one of Ryanair's two most expensive bases (along with Dublin).
Continental Airlines reported a second-quarter net loss of $213 million, widened from a $5 million deficit in the year-ago quarter, and announced it will cut 1,700 additional jobs "across the company" to mitigate the impact of "significant declines in high-yield traffic." Speaking to analysts and reporters, CO executives said business passengers have "curtailed travel" or switched to economy-class tickets. Compounding the 27% year-over-year dip in premium tickets are demand-stimulating low fares on economy seats, President and COO Jeff Smisek said.
Snecma won a six-year engine service per hr. contract from WindJet covering the CFM56-5As powering the Italian airline's A319s and A320s. AJ Walter Aviation signed a power-by-the-hr. contract with Belle Air covering the Albanian airline's A320 family aircraft. Belle plans to operate up to seven Airbus narrowbodies within three years.
East Star Airlines asked CAAC for permission to resume operations despite a Wuhan court's rejection of takeover offers from China National Aviation Fuel Holding Co. and Shanghai YuField. East Star was forced to suspend operations and enter bankruptcy owing to its heavy debt burden and the March collapse of a share sale deal with Air China parent CNAC ( ATWOnline, July 17).
Delta Air Lines is adding a $5 charge for each of the first two pieces of luggage checked at an airport ticket counter, kiosk or curbside on domestic tickets purchased on/after July 16 for travel from Aug. 4. Bag fees paid online (DL charges $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second) will not be subject to the $5 fee.
United Airlines parent UAL Corp. posted a second-quarter net profit of $28 million largely owing to $305 million in noncash mark-to-market fuel hedge gains, much improved over a $2.74 billion loss in the year-ago period when goodwill impairment charges dragged down the bottom line.
Southwest Airlines returned to profit after three consecutive quarters in the red, earning $54 million in the second quarter, down 83.2% from $321 million in the year-ago period, although it warned that "based on weak travel demand and fuel price volatility, we cannot predict a profitable third quarter 2009."
Amadeus and SAS Group reached a five-year, full-content distribution agreement covering all inventory from Scandinavian Airlines, Wideroe, Blue1 and Estonian Air. Travelport reached a direct-connect content agreement with Norwegian.
Lufthansa Systems reached three-year deals with Bulgaria Air and Hemus Air to provide its Lido Airport/Obstacle data. It also renewed its contract with Avianca for the use of its ProfitLine/Price pricing solution for another two years.
Boeing joined the forward and aft fuselage sections of the first 747-8 freighter with the wing and center section in Everett. The horizontal stabilizer also was installed, with the tail cone and vertical fin expected to be added today. Nine customers have placed orders for 78 aircraft.
Lufthansa is considering cutting one flight attendant from each long-haul flight, according to an internal document cited by Neue Rhein Zeitung. The move, if enacted, would save the airline approximately €42 million ($59.6 million) and affect 750 fulltime jobs. It also is looking at ways to increase its ability to reduce its cabin staff on flights with lower load factors. A spokesperson would not confirm or deny the report but told ATWOnline that LH is "calculating everything" in terms of cutting costs but that "nothing is decided now. Everything is in flux."
EASA issued an emergency airworthiness directive requiring ATR 42 and ATR 72 operators to inspect or replace within 10 days cockpit forward side windows that have accumulated more than 2,000 flight cycles. The AD, which enters effect today, follows a recent incident during which the left forward side glass window on an ATR 72-212 "blew out" during a ground pressure test, EASA stated.
TAM said it will issue 600 nonconvertible bonds worth a combined BRL600 million ($313 million) on July 24, scheduled to expire on July 24, 2013. It said the proceeds will be used to "reinforce" its working capital.
National Air Traffic Controllers Assn. expressed guarded optimism regarding US FAA's announcement Monday that is "moving away from a culture of blame and punishment" in the reporting of operational errors by controllers ( ATWOnline, July 21). "We're hopeful that it is a sign of good things to come but we are a little puzzled by what the message really is here," a NATCA spokesperson told ATWOnline yesterday.
US National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark Rosenker announced his resignation yesterday, effective when a new chairman/member is appointed. He is the second member of the five-member board to announce their departures this week ( ATWOnline, July 21) and the third this year ( ATWOnline, Feb. 23).
Air France KLM Group rebuffed French media reports claiming the company will report a higher operating loss in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010, than the €129 million ($1.15 billion) deficit suffered in 2008-09 ( ATWOnline, May 20) and that it will run low on cash in 2010 amid declining demand and higher fuel prices.
Rex Regional Express sold its 1.8% stake in Brisbane-based Virgin Blue. The regional confirmed yesterday to The Australian that its Singaporean investors have "completely exited" from their investment in Blue. The move comes amid continuing speculation that Virgin is courting a strategic investor, and the airline declined to comment on fresh claims that it is pursuing a Middle Eastern carrier. Rumors have surrounded Blue for the past three months, with various analysts and investment houses linking it to a variety of Middle East airlines and Air New Zealand.
European flight crews are criticizing the EU for failing to tackle the issue of pilot fatigue, pointing out that the US has taken the lead on this perennial issue following the February crash a Colgan Air Q400 that killed 50. The European Cockpit Assn., which represents more than 38,200 pilots and flight engineers, said the EU has "shied away" from acting on the results of scientific studies that show current rules on pilot fatigue are insufficient and require improvement.
Air Seychelles took delivery of its fifth 767, a GE-powered, 220-seat -300ER on lease from ILFC. Executive Chairman David Savy said the aircraft "will primarily be a backup aircraft to our fleet, and also will assist during heavy maintenance checks of other aircraft so as to avoid costly leases. In the eventuality of opening up new routes, it will be able to assist and also add capacity when needed in peak times."
